You know what’s not cool? Chris Archer continuing his trend of making me all kinds of paranoid after going 4.1 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks against the Red Sox. Now, I do understand that his HR/FB rate is absurdly high (around 40%), but there are two other problems at play: his horrific walk rate that should be sitting around 5.00 per 9 after tonight, and his future schedule that offers little respite in the next month. I stuck it out with Archer at #15 this week, though I’ll no choice but move him down to #19 at the very least come Monday. Maybe further. Not sure yet but it doesn’t look good.
Let’s see what every other SP did yesterday:
Chris Sale – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks. Aces gonna ace. Only 3 Ks against the Angels is a little disappointing from Sale, though.
Drew Pomeranz – 6.2 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 10 Ks. Here’s the good: The Dirty Cheerleader is dealing and it’s fun to watch. The bad: Pom-Pom gets the Giants twice, Dodgers twice, Diamondbacks, and Cubs in six of his next seven starts. I so badly want to endorse him, but I think we’re going to have some bumps in the next month. I don’t blame you for riding it out until it stops, but be cautious y’all. And wear a coat, it’s cold out there. I worry about you guys.
Taijuan Walker – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks. Should I see the err in my ways and move Walker close to #35 or so? Maybe. Or maybe I should wait until he faces tough teams not named Cleveland or Oakland, like his next three starts against Houston, Kansas City, and Houston again. That sounds right.
Carlos Martinez – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. Can’t say I’ve been impressed with Cmart this year. The walk rate isn’t going away, the strikeouts are kinda there, and it’s all been pretty boring. I need some pizzazz! Wait, sorry for the typo. I need some pizza! It’s like 1:00am and I still haven’t eaten.
Kendall Graveman – 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks. If you see this line and rush to pick up Kendall, you’ll be digging your own Grave, man. That joke is super old. Your face is super old. Noted.
Danny Salazar – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks. Did you know that Salazar has walked three batters in each of his outings this year? Really instills the confidence that he’s graduated from a Cherry Bomb. But whatever, he’s produced and I have to begrudgingly put him in the Top 25 and consider him for Top 20. And I really don’t want to, but sometimes you have to do what’s right, not what’s easy. #SurpriseInspirationalQuote
Jordan Zimmermann – 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks. Will you look at that. JZ is all like 2014 wasn’t a fluke y’all and I’m screaming “You just doubled your strikeout total for the season!” But that would be lying. He only had seven strikeouts before tonight.
Madison Bumgarner – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks. Aces gonna ace. I guess I just needed to lower him in the rankings for him to get his act together. Happens more often than I’d like to admit and I feel like I need a term for it. My instincts tell me to merge Spanking and Ranking into Spranking. Fortunately my instincts aren’t in charge. Feel free to give your two cents in the comments.
Garrett Richards – 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 6 Ks. It’s the anti-Bumgarner as Richards goes and walks four after I give him a boost into the Top 30. I see G.Rich as the slight upgrade to Yordano, where his stuff is fantastic but his command is questionable. It’s a little more polish than Ventura, but those hoping for that magical season where he puts it all together are going to be mighty frustrated.
Cole Hamels – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks. Yeah, I’ll take this from Hamels.
Zack Greinke – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks. Aces gonna ace.
Raisel Iglesias – 6.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks. Look at you Iglesias, showing it off at home against a tough opponent in the Rockies. Now go ahead and shut down the Cubs and we’ve got ourselves a proper hype train rolling. CHOO CHOO.
Rick Porcello – 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks. I will certainly take this from our Call Boy. Don’t look now, but Porcello has a 24/3 K per BB through his first three starts. Well, actually go look at it and pick him up ASAP as he gets the Braves next. Awwww yeah.
Chad Bettis – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks. Bettis has limited upside, pitches his home games at Coors Field, and doesn’t deserve a spot on your team. This should be the blurb for every Colorado starter.
Ian Kennedy – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. You know, this is pretty impressive from Kennedy as he faced the Tigers. Am I starting to buy it a little? Maybe, but his xFIP is detailing a 3.65+ ERA guy as his HR/FB sits near 5%. Ehhh, I’m rolling with him now as he faces three straight weak teams (Angels, Mariners, Indians).
Wei-Yin Chen – 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. Chen being productive in the NL Easy? You don’t say.
Bartolo Colon – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. Our secondary Call Boy was serviceable as he barely got you the QS with a great WHIP. That’s The Big Apple for you.
Doug Fister – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks. Ah yes, a Grave Mistake.
Joe Ross – 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 0 Ks. He left after two innings with a blister on his middle finger because he was too filthy. Well, maybe not because of that, but it’s annoying as anything. At least there’s still a chance he pitches next time out.
R.A. Dickey – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. Dickey told me he wears a lucky pair of underwear for each game he starts. I found out later that he doesn’t wear any underwear. Don’t trust a knuckleballer.
Ubaldo Jimenez – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 6 Ks. Are you still holding out for Ubaldo? Why?
Julio Teheran – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks. This actually isn’t so bad from Teheran but it does little to convince me he belongs on The List again.
Nathan Eovaldi – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks. Eovaldi is showing off some K upside to start the year, but I don’t buy that he’ll put together a Top 50 season. He’s simply too hittable too often.
Jimmy Nelson – 6.2 IP, 4 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks. Yeah I don’t think Nelson is a guy you want to roster in all but NL-Only leagues.
Tommy Milone – 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. Hey Nick! What’s up bud? What’s the name of that starting pitching on the Twins that’s below average? I need a lot more info than that. You know, his FIP has been 4.30 of higher each year since 2013? Keep going. He had a 5.72 K/9 in 2014 and 6.37 K/9 in 2015? Ahhh, that must be Tommy “I don’t know why they still pay me” Milone. That’s the one! No, Milone. Get it right.
Jeremy Hellickson – 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks. Have we learned our lesson yet? There are three pitchers to own in Philly, and Hellickson is not one of them.
Ross Stripling – 3.2 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. He was pulled in the fourth as his pitch count was already past 75 and in a good amount of trouble that the bullpen bailed him out of. I think you’ll be happy with Stripling in a deepish 12 team H2H league, but I wouldn’t depend on him for standard roto leagues.
Kyle Hendricks – 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. Blegh. Hendricks is better than this and I’d stick with him like a sticky stick that sticks onto things because it’s so sticky.
Jeff Locke – 3.0 IP, 8 ER, 11 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks. People don’t actually start Locke, right? Inaudible whisper in my ear. 5.2% of ESPN Leagues?! What are they, masochists?
Today’s Streamer
Nate Karns vs. Cleveland Indians – Karns has been keeping up his strikeout numbers and the Indians are a solid matchup to continue the momentum.
Tomorrow’s Streamer
Nick Tropeano vs. Seattle Mariners – Let’s keep the Trop train rolling. It’s the toughest matchup he’s had, but there aren’t many options unless Aaron Nola and Aaron Sanchez are somehow not owned and there’s no way I’m endorsing CC Sabathia even if it is against the Rays.
Game of the Day
David Price vs. Jake Odorizzi – Here’s the best pitching duel of the day, and I have a feeling Odorizzi is going to come out on top. Don’t know why outside of my obvious bias against the stupid Red Sox, but it’s what my gut is telling me.